When There's You, I Feel Whole
by awriterofthings
Summary: Emily and JJ are having relationship issues. When Emily gets hurt during a case, will JJ come to her senses?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Emily woke up to the sound of her alarm clock going off. She groaned and rolled over to turn it off. When she saw that she still had an hour before she got up, she sighed and guessed that JJ had set it to wake her up. She turned to face the woman, gently shaking her. "Jay-Jay," She mumbled tiredly. "Babe it's time for you to get up."

JJ groaned and buried her head in her pillow. "No."

"Fine with me," Emily pulled the blonde's naked body close to her and closed her eyes to drift back to sleep.

Thirty minutes later…

JJ's eyes fluttered open and she rolled over in Emily's arms. She smiled at the sleeping brunette and leaned in to place a light kiss on her lips. She looked over her girlfriend's body to see the clock and cursed under her breath as she quickly got up from bed. The quick movement woke Emily up and she propped herself up on her elbows as she watched JJ frantically putting her clothes on.

"What's wrong?" Emily said through a yawn.

JJ put her shirt on and began to button it. "I'm going to be late. I don't even have time for a shower."

Emily sat up using the sheet to cover her chest. "Sorry, I tried to wake you. You can take a shower here. And you know you have an outfit here from a few weeks ago. I had it dry cleaned for you."

"Oh, thank god. Where is it?"

Emily nodded towards the closet. JJ went over to the closet and immediately found her suit. "You know you could just bring some clothes and whatever else over so you can stop having to rush home to get ready."

JJ placed her suit on the edge of the bed. "No, that's okay."

"It'd make things easier though."

JJ shook her head. "It'll start with a few clothes, then some products and the next thing you know we'll be practically living together. Things are fine the way they are."

Emily rolled her eyes and got out of bed. She grabbed her silk robe from the closet and slipped it on. "I wasn't asking you to move in. I was trying to make things easier for you. And what would be so bad about us moving in together anyway?"

"I like my own space," JJ said, nonchalantly. "We spend a majority of our day together. Sometimes I just need time to myself."

Emily folded her arms across her chest. "Oh, so you're getting tired of me."

JJ's shoulders slumped. "I didn't say that."

"You pretty much did." Emily gestured to her bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower. You can use the other bathroom."

JJ walked over to Emily and tried to take the woman's hand into her own. "Emily, come on. Please don't be like this."

Emily moved out of JJ's reach. "I'm not being like anything Jay-Jay. I'll see you at work." Emily turned around and went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

JJ let out a breath. "Great."

Emily entered the area where she worked, setting her cup of coffee on her desk. She had bought one for JJ too in case the blonde hadn't had time to get one. JJ had been gone when she was finished with her shower and hated that they started the morning with a fight. She was still upset though. She went over to the blonde's office, knocking on the door lightly.

JJ looked up and was surprised to see Emily. "Hey."

Emily held up the cup of coffee. "Thought you might need this."

JJ gave Emily a smile of gratitude. "I do. Thank you."

Emily walked closer to the desk and handed it to the blonde. "You're welcome." She turned to leave, but JJ stopped her.

"I don't get why you're being like this."

Emily lowered her voice. "Not here, Jay-Jay. We agreed. At work, we're just colleagues."

"Fine," JJ huffed.

Emily exited the office and saw that Reid and Morgan had arrived at work. "Hey guys."

Reid smiled. "Good morning."

"I don't know about the good part," Emily said.

"Rough morning?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah," Emily said.

"Anything I can help with?" Morgan asked.

Emily shook her head. "I'll be fine." No one on the team except Garcia knew about her relationship with JJ and that was because their bubbly friend had walked in on them kissing in JJ's office. It had been late one night and they thought they were alone. Garcia had been excited for them and promised not to say a word.

Emily went back to her desk and allowed her thoughts to go back to when she and JJ had been caught by the blonde. As she sat there lost in thought, the sound of JJ's voice brought her back to reality.

"Briefing in the conference room in five minutes." JJ told the team before heading to the conference room.

As everyone sat down at the table in the conference room, JJ passed out the case file to each of them. "Four people in the Washington, D.C. area have been injected with some kind of poison. Out of the four only one person is still alive. They were shot with a dart and later showed signs of being poisoned. So far there is no cure." JJ picked up the remote on the table to use the PowerPoint. "Angela Smith, 35. She was the first victim. She was hit with a dart a week ago and died four days later. Mark Reston, 18. He was hit six days ago and died five days later. Keith Stone, 24. He was hit five days ago and died three days later. Sarah Cain, 17. She was hit yesterday and she is currently in the hospital."

"There's a gap," Morgan said. "Did he just decide to take a break?"

"Or the people he poisoned haven't gone to the hospital," JJ said.

"What do they have in common?" Reid asked.

"Nothing obvious," JJ replied.

"I'll call Garcia." Emily pulled out her phone and put it on speaker before speed dialing Garcia.

"The divine goddess herself speaking," Garcia answered.

"Can you run a search on Angela Smith, Mark Reston, Keith Stone and Sarah Cain? We're looking for anything that might link them together. Do they live in the same residential area?"

"Negative," Garcia said. "They all live in different neighborhoods."

"What about the neighborhoods?" Reid asked. "Are they middle-class, lower-class?"

"Middle-class except for Sarah Cain. Her parents are doing very well for themselves."

"So it's not that," Reid sighed.

"Try cell phone records," Hotch said. "See if they talk to the same people. Call us if you get anything. We're going to head out."

"Yes, sir."

Emily ended the call and looked at Hotch. "What's the plan?"

"Morgan and Reid go to the areas where Angela Cash and Mark Reston were hit. Ask around. Maybe someone saw something. There could be cameras. Rossi and I will go check out the area where the other two were hit. Jay-Jay and Prentiss, you two go interview Sarah Cain."

The car ride to the hospital hadn't been as painful as JJ thought it was going to be. Emily stuck to talking about the case and didn't show any sign that she was upset with her. She knew it was because the brunette was serious when she said their personal life wasn't any place for work.

She entered Sarah Cain's hospital room and saw the brunette lying there looking seconds away from death. She hoped they would figure this case out before anyone else died.

"Hi, Mrs. Cain," Emily said to the brunette's mother who was sitting by the bed. "I'm Agent Prentiss from the FBI and this is Agent Jareau. We need to speak with your daughter."

Mrs. Cain nodded her head. "Sarah are you up for that?"

Sarah nodded slowly.

"Hi, Sarah," Emily said. "I'll try to keep this short, okay? Do you remember anything from the day you were hit with that dart?"

Sarah licked her lips and began to speak. "I was in the store. I bought a bottle of water and left. I was opening my car door when I felt it hit my neck. I didn't see who did it."

"Did you talk to anyone in the store?" JJ asked.

Sarah shook her head. "I'm sorry I'm not much help."

JJ placed her hand on top of Sarah's. "It's okay. You get some rest."

Prentiss and JJ talked with the mom for a bit before heading back to their car.

JJ sighed. "I hope the others are having better luck than we are."

JJ entered Garcia's office and plopped herself down in the seat beside her.

Garcia looked over at her friend. "Hey sugar plum, what's wrong?"

"Emily's upset with me," JJ said. She told the blonde what happened that morning.

"You two have been together for what? Seven months? Leaving some stuff at her place sounds like a good idea."

"I know. I don't know why I freaked out. I hate her being upset with me. She left the office without saying bye."

"Talk to her. Tell her how you feel."

"I don't even know how I'm feeling."

"Do you still want to be with her?"

JJ looked at Garcia as if she had asked the stupidest question in the world. "Of course I still want to be with her."

Garcia held up her hands. "Just checking. Go get your girl. You two will be fine. Just be honest with her."

JJ leaned forward and hugged her friend. "Thanks for listening."

"Anytime, my lovely. Anytime."

The blonde agent gathered her things and quickly made her way to her car. She had to make things right with Emily.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Emily sat in her living room with her feet propped up on the table. The team hadn't gotten anywhere today with the case and she hoped tomorrow would be better. She glanced at her watch and wondered if JJ had gone home or if she was still in the office. As she pulled her phone out to call the blonde, she heard her front door open and close.

"Hey, Emily! It's me!" She heard JJ call to her. She had given the blonde a spare key so she could come and go as she pleased.

"Living room!" Emily yelled to her without getting up.

JJ entered the living room and set her purse down on the coffee table. "Hi."

Emily looked at her girlfriend. "Hey."

JJ bit her lower lip. "Still upset?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm still upset. My girlfriend of seven months doesn't like being around me."

It was JJ's turn to roll her eyes at the brunette's words. "Don't be overdramatic, Emily. I never said that. I just like me time. Don't you?"

Emily stood up. "Know what I like? I like cuddling with my girlfriend after a long day. I like her not rushing out of my house in the morning. Why'd you freak out, Jennifer?"

JJ knew when Emily said her full name, she meant business. "Will you take momentary insanity as a reason?"

Emily shook her head. "Do you not want to be with me?" She gestured between herself and JJ. "Is this not something you want?"

JJ's eyes widened. "No, it's not like that at all. I definitely want to be with you."

Emily let out a breath and smiled. "I was worried."

JJ took Emily by the hand and pulled her closer. "Never be worried about that. How could I not want you? I'm sorry for being an idiot."

Emily leaned forward and kissed the blonde. "I forgive you."

JJ kissed Emily and the brunette quickly parted her lips to allow her girlfriend's tongue entrance into her mouth. She moaned into the kiss and pulled away when oxygen became an issue. "Bedroom?"

JJ nodded. "Bedroom."

* * *

An hour later, JJ and Emily were lying in bed enjoying the aftermath of their lovemaking. JJ's head was resting on Emily's shoulder as she rubbed the girl's stomach with her thumb.

Emily ran her fingers through JJ's hair. "My mom called. She wants us to spend Christmas with her."

"We have months before Christmas starts."

"She likes to plan ahead. She doesn't want us making plans."

"I was kind of hoping that we'd spend our first Christmas alone. Just me and you."

"That's what I told her."

"And?"

"And you try telling my mother no," Emily said.

JJ chuckled. "We'll deal with it in a few months when we have to."

"Sounds good. You know, she can't believe we're still together. I think she thought you were a fling for me."

"I'm just glad you stopped being shy about it and asked me out. You were such a nervous wreck."

Emily kissed JJ on the top of the head. "I'll have you know asking out a gorgeous and intelligent woman like yourself is very nerve wracking."

JJ laughed. "Flatterer. You want to know what was nerve wracking? Our first kiss."

Emily smiled at the thought of their first kiss. "That was a great night, which was also the same night we had sex. Who knew Agent Jareau was easy?"

The blonde pinched Emily's side. "I am not easy. I just really wanted you. After that first kiss, I pretty much came undone."

"Very amazing night," Emily said. "I'll never forget it. I love you."

"You too." JJ turned away from Emily. "We should get some sleep. Long day tomorrow."

Emily furrowed her brows. Why had JJ suddenly become distant? The media liaison always returned those words with warmth and now she couldn't even bring herself to say them to her. Emily shook her head. She was overreacting. It was late. The blonde was just tired. She decided to let it go and get some sleep. She didn't want to ruin the great night she had with JJ by over thinking things.

* * *

Emily entered the BAU office the same time as Garcia and she looked at the blonde pleadingly. "Can we talk?"

Garcia could tell something was wrong. "Of course. Follow me to my office." Once in her office, she set her things down and looked at Emily. "What's going on?"

Emily sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "I hate to put you in this position, but I don't really know what else to do."

"Okay," Garcia said. "Do you want to sit? Should I be sitting? I'm gonna sit." The blonde sat down and looked at Emily with worry. "What's going on, hun?"

"You're Jennifer's best friend," Emily said.

"And yours too," Garcia added.

Emily sat down in the chair next to Garcia and stared into the blonde's eyes. "Did she say anything to you about breaking up with me?"

Garcia's mouth fell open. "She broke-up with you?"

Emily shook her head. "No, she didn't. I just feel like she's going to. She's been so distance the last two weeks. I don't know what it is."

Garcia let out a breath. "Don't scare me like that. You two are my go to couple. If I ever give up on the thought of love, I look at you two and know that I'll find it someday."

Emily smiled. "That actually means a lot, Garcia. Thank you." The brunette's smiled faltered. "but I don't think she loves me anymore. I told her I loved her last night and she said 'you too.' She always says it back. And this morning I woke up and she wasn't even there. She left a note saying she went to sleep at home because she wanted to make it to work on time."

Garcia sighed. "I thought she was going to talk to you last night to work things out."

"She did. And things were fine until I woke up alone this morning." Emily looked down at the floor before looking up at Garcia. "Is it me? You can tell me Garcia. Am I doing something wrong?"

Garcia shook her head. "She hasn't told me you are. She did tell me yesterday though that she wants to be with you. You two need to sit down and have a long talk."

"I know," Emily said. "I'm sorry to come to you with this. Especially at work."

"Hey, my door's always open to you."

"Thanks, Penelope. I better get to work." Emily left the technical analyst's office and went to her desk. She opened the case file of the current case they were working on and began to look through it. Maybe she'd find something that they missed yesterday. As she tried to think about the case, her mind kept trailing to JJ. She sighed, getting up to go to the blonde's office.

JJ looked up when she heard a knock on her door, smiling when she saw Emily. "Hi." Her smile faded when she saw that the brunette looked upset. "What's wrong?"

Emily let out a short laugh as she entered the office. "What's wrong? What's wrong is I woke up with my girlfriend not in bed with me. What's wrong is I told you I love you and you didn't say it back."

"Emily, I wanted to be home in order to not rush in the morning and I did say it back."

"No, you said 'you too' and that doesn't count."

"It does too count," JJ said.

Emily let out a breath of frustration. "Forget it." She left the office and went back to her desk. She couldn't do this here. She needed to focus on the case.

A few minutes later, Hotch and JJ showed up.

"We've got another victim," Hotch said. "Devon Williams, seven. He was hit with a dart thirty minutes ago."

"A seven-year old?" Morgan shook his head. "We've got to get this guy. Where'd this one happen?"

"A playground," Hotch replied.

"Think someone saw something?" Reid asked.

"I doubt it, but it wouldn't hurt to ask around," Hotch said. "Prentiss, Reid and Morgan. You three go to the playground and see what you can find out. I'll go talk to Devon Williams. JJ, you and Rossi can stay behind and see if you can come up with anything tying these people together."

* * *

Emily was getting frustrated. She had talked to over ten people and no one had seen a thing. She was just about to go over to Reid and Morgan when she saw a man sitting on a bench. She walked over to the man and smiled. "Hi, sir. I'm Agent Prentiss with the FBI." She flashed him her badge. "Have you been here awhile?"

The man nodded. "Yes. How may I help you?"

Without giving him much detail about anything, she asked if he had seen anything suspicious when the boy was hurt.

"No, sorry. I didn't see a thing," the man said. "Wish I could be of more help."

"It's okay. Thanks," Emily said. As she began to walk away, the man continued to talk to her.

"How's your day going? You look stressed."

"Sorry, sir. I have work to do." Emily walked over to Morgan and Reid. "This is hopeless. No one has seen anything."

"Yeah, let's get out of here," Morgan sighed.

Everything from there happened in slow motion for Emily as she felt a sharp object pierce her neck. She brought her hand up and felt the dart in her neck. She couldn't hear what Reid and Morgan were yelling to her before they took off after the man who had shot her with the dart. She pulled the object out of her neck and looked at it. "Shit." She was starting to feel dizzy so she briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find that her method had actually worked.

Morgan and Reid ran back to Emily. "We lost him," Morgan said. "We need to get you to a hospital."

Emily shook her head. "It won't do any good. Did you get a look at the guy?"

"Didn't see his face," Morgan said.

"He was wearing tan pants and a light blue shirt," Reid said.

Emily looked at them. "I spoke to him. I can give a sketch."

"Okay, you can give one from the hospital," Morgan said.

"There's no cure, Morgan. There's no point in going."

Morgan sighed knowing he'd lose this fight. "Fine. Let's go."

As Emily sat in the back of the SUV, the realization that she only had a few days to live hit her. They really needed to catch this guy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Emily entered the bullpen and was greeted by Hotch shaking his head at her. "You need to be at the hospital."

"Good luck," Morgan said. "She's not hearing it."

JJ looked at Emily with pure worry in her eyes. "Emily you need to go. They might be able to help."

Ignoring both her boss and girlfriend's words, Emily changed the topic. "I saw his face. I can do a sketch."

"Morgan said you spoke to him," Hotch said. "What'd you talk about?"

"I asked him if he had seen anything. He said no and started asking me how my day was going. I told him I had to get back to work. That was it."

"Okay, we'll get the sketch and take it to Sarah Cain and Devon Williams. Maybe they'll recognize him."

Emily brought her hand up to her head as she felt herself getting dizzy.

JJ placed a hand on the brunette's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Emily dropped her hand down to her side. "Just a little dizzy."

"That's stage one," Reid said. "There are five stages you're going to go through. If you rest, maybe you'll go through them at a slower rate while we try to catch this guy."

Emily shook her head. "Not going to happen." She walked away and everyone watched her go.

Hotch looked at the media liaison. "Jay-Jay don't even look at another case until we solve this one." He looked at everyone else. "If protocol has to be broken, so be it. We're getting this guy."

Jay-Jay nodded her head in agreement before going to find Emily. After looking everywhere, she found the brunette in Garcia's office. "Emily."

"I'm fine," the agent said as she concentrated on the sketch pad she was drawing on.

"You can draw?" JJ asked.

"Secret talent," Emily said without looking up.

Garcia looked at JJ. "Get her to go to a hospital. She won't listen to me." Garcia got up and left the office to give the two some privacy.

JJ knelt down beside her girlfriend. She placed her hand on Emily's, stopping her from doing the sketch. "Emily, please. You need to be at the hospital. They can-,"

Emily kept her eyes down. "I am not going to sit alone in a hospital with nothing to do but think about how I'm going to die in less than a week."

JJ saw the tears starting to fall down Emily's cheeks and she wiped them away. She placed her fingers under Emily's chin and gently lifted her head up so that she could look into her eyes. "Okay, okay. I won't make you go. She brought the brunette's hand up to her mouth and kissed it. "We'll find this guy and get a cure. You're going to be okay. Just hang in there, okay?"

Emily nodded.

JJ stood up and kissed her girlfriend on the forehead. "I'll sit here while you complete the sketch. Let me know if you need anything."

Forty-five minutes later…

After Emily had made the sketch Hotch and Rossi had gone to the hospital to question the two victims. They had learned that Sarah Cain had spoken to the unsub briefly in the store until she got a text message and switched her attention to it instead of him. Devon Williams had told the unsub that he wasn't allowed to talk to strangers when the man tried to strike up a conversation with him.

The team was now in the conference room trying to figure the unsub out.

"It seems that he's targeting people that he feels are being rude to him," Reid spoke up.

"Then I'm surprised there aren't hundreds of more victims," Morgan said.

"He probably doesn't get out much," Emily said. "His contact with people is limited so he doesn't experience it often, but when someone is rude to him, he can't handle it."

"He probably works somewhere that doesn't require him to have that much communication with other people," Hotch added. "JJ prepare to do a press conference. Reid take Emily home."

Emily shook her head. "I'm fine for the umpteenth time. Can everyone stop treating me like I'm going to break at any minute?"

"Irritable and angry. Stage two," Reid stated.

Emily glared at the scrawny man. "Reid."

"Sorry," Reid looked down at the table.

"You need to rest," Hotch said to Emily.

"I'll take her home after the press conference," JJ said. Emily opened her mouth to protest once again, but JJ cut her off. "Shut up, Emily. You're going home." The blonde got up and left the room without another word.

Emily slumped into her chair, rolling her eyes.

Morgan looked sympathetically at the brunette. "I know you don't want to sit around doing nothing, but you're not looking too good, Em. You need to rest."

Penelope entered the room and looked at Emily. "I was told to take you back to my office until JJ was ready to take you home."

"I don't need a babysitter, Garcia," Emily sighed.

"Okay, listen here, Princess," Garcia began. "You either come to my office quietly or put up with a very frustrated and stressed out Jay-Jay."

Emily stood up and walked towards Garcia. She stopped suddenly and turned to Hotch. "You'll include me if anything new comes up?"

Hotch nodded. "I'll keep you informed. Go get some rest."

JJ had taken Emily home and was now in the kitchen making the brunette tea. She sat down at the table and placed her elbows on it as she covered her face with her hands. She was worried about her girlfriend and there was nothing she could do to help. As she sat there allowing a few tears to fall from her eyes, she heard Emily's voice.

"You okay?"

JJ jumped, startled by the sudden sound. She quickly wiped her tears away. "Yeah." She stood up and went over to the stove to turn off the kettle. "You're supposed to be in bed." She said as she began to busy herself by making Emily tea.

The older woman stopped JJ from her actions. "Forget the tea. I don't really want it anymore."

JJ kept her back to Emily as she tried to blink away the tears that threatened to escape.

"Look at me, sweetheart," Emily said.

JJ turned around slowly and looked in Emily's eyes.

Emily placed a kiss on JJ's lips before letting her forehead rest on the blonde's. "I promise you I'll try my damndest to not let this kill me. Right now, I just need you to hold me."

Emily led JJ upstairs to the bedroom and they laid down in bed together. JJ put an arm around Emily's waist and rested her chin on the brunette's shoulder.

"You can leave if you want to after I fall asleep," Emily said. "I promise I won't get upset with you again. I understand that you need your own space. I'm sorry I jumped down your throat about it."

"No, I'm sorry," JJ whispered into Emily's ear. "I know I've been acting weird lately. And I should've talked to you about my feelings instead of trying to run from them. The truth is that I love you so much that it scares me sometimes. It made me irrational. In college I dated this girl and I was so into her. She was my everything. When she broke-up with me it hurt so much for so long. I just got scared. I don't want you to wake up one day and decide I'm not what you want because I'd be so broken."

JJ stopped speaking and when she didn't hear Emily respond to anything she had been saying. She sat up a bit to look at the woman's face and saw that she was fast asleep. "Of course you'd fall asleep when I'm trying to spill my heart out to you," JJ whispered. She placed a kiss on the side of Emily's head before closing her eyes and trying to get some sleep herself. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

JJ woke up the next morning and found that the space next to her was empty. She immediately got out of bed and called for her girlfriend. When she didn't get an answer she began to look around for her. When she reached the kitchen, she found the brunette asleep with her arms folded on the table and her head resting on them. The file to the case was sitting open by her head.

She went over and shook the brunette. "Emily." When the brunette didn't wake up, she shook her harder. "Emily?" Panic started to set in and JJ went to touch the profiler's neck.

Emily opened her eyes and furrowed her brows when she saw JJ. "What are you doing?"

The blonde moved her fingers from Emily's neck as she let out a relieved breath. "I thought… I tried to wake you." JJ slapped her girlfriend lightly on the shoulder. "Don't do that again."

"Don't do what again?" Emily sat up. It was too early in the morning for her to try and figure out what her girlfriend was going on about.

"Don't not wake up," JJ said, softly as tears began to form.

Emily stood up and pulled JJ into a hug. "It's okay. I'm gonna be okay."

The couple stood like that for a few minutes before JJ pulled away. "God, look at me. I should be holding you and telling you everything's going to be okay. I'm sorry. I'm being a horrible girlfriend."

Emily leaned forward and kissed JJ in order to shut her up. She smiled into the kiss when she felt the tense blonde relax and return the kiss with fervor.

When JJ felt a hand trail up her shirt and cup her breast, she reluctantly pulled away. "Don't tempt me."

Emily grinned. "Why not?"

"Because you need to save your energy," JJ said.

"But I'd be using this said energy in a very positive way and it might even cure me." Emily tried to recapture JJ's lips, but her girlfriend wasn't having it.

"Nuh uh. Behave."

"Jay-Jay," Emily pleaded. "This might be our last chance before I kick the bucket."

JJ's playful smile was replaced by a frown. "That's not funny, Emily."

"Sorry. Bad attempt at getting you into bed." Emily pulled JJ back to her and kissed the top of her head. "I got lost in our playful banter. We haven't had that in awhile."

"I know. That's my fault," JJ said. "I've been-,"

Emily's phone ringing had cut her off. Emily picked up the phone and flipped it open before putting it to her ear. "Prentiss…yeah, she's here…but… okay, hold on." JJ handed JJ the phone. "Hotch."

JJ took the phone. "Hey, Hotch… she's doing well…I'll try but I'll probably be unsuccessful… okay, see you in a few."

Emily looked at JJ waiting to hear what their boss had said.

"A lot of people called in about the sketch they saw of our unsub on TV."

Emily's eyes widened. "Who is he?"

"Samuel Sullivan. A janitor at a high school. The woman said she was friends with the first victim, Angela Smith. Sullivan asked her out, she turned him down and laughed with her friend about it."

"The stressor," Emily said.

"Garcia's going to get us some information and she'll be here as soon as she's done."

Emily shook her head as she began to walk out of the kitchen. "I'm getting dressed and coming with you guys. I feel fine."

"Emily, honey. You need to rest." JJ sighed knowing her plea had fallen on deaf ears. She was just glad that they knew who this guy was. Maybe this would all be over today.

* * *

After reaching the BAU, the team met up in the conference room to learn about what Garcia had found on Samuel Sullivan. He was raised by very religious, abusive parents and at fifteen he was taken from them and his grandparents took him in. They died when he was eighteen and being their only grandson, he had inherited the house and their life savings.

Garcia had provided them with an address and they were there now suited up in their bullet proof vest,

Emily was also there much to everyone's disapproval. Hotch knew that if he were in her position that he wouldn't want to sit around doing nothing either. She looked to be at hundred percent so he allowed her to come along.

"Reid, Prentiss. Keep your eyes on the back door. Morgan, JJ you're inside with me and Rossi."

With those words spoken, the team drew their weapons and headed towards the house. Emily knew that Hotch purposely kept her outside, but she didn't mind. At least he was allowing her to be here.

Hotch and Rossi made their way upstairs quietly as JJ and Morgan walked around downstairs, looking for any sign of the unsub. JJ rounded a corner into the living room, her gun pointing wherever her eyes looked. She saw a still lit cigarette in the ashtray sitting on the coffee table. When Morgan joined her in the living room, she nodded to the table and he gave her a look of understanding.

Upstairs, Hotch stood to the side of what he guessed was the master bedroom. He turned the knob and pushed it open slowly before walking inside. He looked around and didn't see the unsub anywhere. He went to find Rossi, and found him in a room that had a long table against the wall with several vials and needles on it and a bookshelf with numerous medical and scientific books. The walls were adorned with religious paraphernalia as well.

Hotch pressed the button to the radio that rested on his shoulder. "Upstairs is clear."

* * *

Emily and Reid were standing in the back with their eyes on the back door. Emily was starting to feel dizzy again, but she did her best to hide it. Suddenly she heard a sound from behind her and quickly turned around. "Don't move!"

Reid walked over to Emily and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Em there's no one there."

"What are you talking about?" Emily kept her gun on the unsub. "He's right there."

"You're hallucinating. It's stage three," Reid said. "There's no one there."

Emily brought her gun down, but kept her eyes her hallucination of the unsub. He was wearing the same thing he had been wearing at the park. She squeezed her eyes shut and when she opened them he was gone. "Great. I'm losing my mind."

"Emily, after we're done here you should go to the hospital," Reid said.

"We should keep our eyes on the back door." Emily turned back around and Reid got back into position.

JJ was about to head upstairs with Morgan when she heard a clicking noise. She turned her head just in time to see the unsub run out the house. "Morgan! Outside!" She yelled as she ran out the house after him. Sullivan took off down the sidewalk, but JJ was already closing in on him. She placed her gun in her holster before tackling him to the ground. As he began to struggle to get up, JJ dug her knee into his back and pulled out her gun. She pointed it at him, pressing the barrel against the back of his head. "Don't move!"

Morgan ran up behind her and pulled out his handcuffs. "I've got him." He bent down to cuff the guy.

JJ got up, but kept her gun trained on Sullivan until Morgan had him secured. They stood up and headed back towards the house.

Hotch, Rossi, Reid and Prentiss were standing at the front of the house at this point.

"You guys all right?" Hotch asked.

"Yeah," Morgan stopped in front of Hotch.

Hotch looked at Sullivan. "Where's the cure?"

Sullivan smirked. "There is no cure."

Emily brought her hand up to her head and JJ furrowed her brows as she looked at her with worry. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm-." Emily loss consciousness mid-sentence and Reid caught her before she hit the ground.

"Emily." JJ went over to the brunette.

"I've got her." Reid picked her up.

"I'm taking her to the hospital," JJ said.

Morgan squeezed Sullivan's upper arm tightly as he spoke. "The cure. Where is it?"

"There isn't one," Sullivan stated again. "She's going to die like the others. You know, she really should be resting. Adrenaline makes the poison course through her body faster. She'll die quicker and that's less fun."

JJ heard Sullivan's words and she wanted nothing more than to pull her gun out and shoot him. She couldn't be Emily's upset, worried girlfriend right now though. She had to be Agent Jareau. She ignored the man, leaving the rest of the team to handle him as Reid placed Emily in the backseat.

"Want me to come with you?" Reid asked.

JJ shook her head. "The team will need you."

The media liaison got into the SUV, buckling her seatbelt before taking off to the hospital.

* * *

Emily's eyes fluttered open and she muttered a curse word when she realized she was at the hospital. She saw JJ sitting in a chair by the bed and couldn't help but smile. "Hey you." She was surprised to hear how husky her voice sounded.

JJ squeezed Emily's hand gently. She hadn't let go of it since she'd been in the room. "Hey. You gave us a scare there."

"What happened?"

"You passed out."

"Was a cure found yet?" Emily asked.

JJ shook her head. "Sullivan claims there isn't one. If he's lying, we'll find it. Morgan, Reid and Rossi are tearing the place apart looking for one while Hotch is questioning Sullivan."

"Do I have to stay here?" Emily asked.

"Yes," JJ replied.

Emily sighed. "Hospitals are depressing."

JJ leaned forward and kissed Emily on the cheek. "I love you."

Emily smiled. She hadn't heard JJ say those words in awhile. "I love you too."

"I love you so much, Emily and I'm sorry that I've been distant." JJ tried stay strong for her girlfriend as she spoke. "I was scared."

"Why?" Emily asked.

JJ gave Emily a sad smile. "I told you all this last night, but you fell asleep on me."

"Care to share again?"

"I was afraid that one day you would decide that I'm not what you want. If that ever happened, I don't know what I'd do. So I distanced myself to try and not make myself feel so strongly for you. It was stupid… and too late because I'm already so in love with you."

"I love you too, Jennifer. Why do you think I'd decide to leave you one day?" Emily asked.

JJ rolled her eyes at herself. "Because of some girl I dated in college."

"Well that girl is an idiot," Emily said. "But I'm glad it didn't work out between you two because then I wouldn't have gotten the chance to be with you."

JJ laughed. "I'm glad too. Now get some rest."

"I'm not tired," Emily said.

"Garcia's on her way here with books to read you so you're not bored."

"I guess I could use a nap," Emily said.

JJ watched as Emily closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep in only a few minutes. "I love you," she whispered to the sleeping brunette. She hoped the team would be able to come up with something to help Emily and the two surviving victims soon.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the feedback.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Hotch was growing impatient with Sullivan. The man was still claiming that there was no cure and he was starting to think that there really wasn't.

"Like I told you before Agent Hotchner," Sullivan began. "They will either be strong enough to fight it or they will die. It's up to God now."

Hotch opened the folder that was sitting on the table and picked up the picture on top. It was of Sullivan's first victim, Angela Smith. He placed it down in front of the man. "What did she do to deserve dying?"

Sullivan looked down at the picture before looking back at Hotch. "I asked her out and she laughed at me."

Hotch placed down the next picture. "And Mark Reston?"

"He didn't hold the door open for me."

Hotch placed down the next picture.

"I was trying to talk to her and she started texting. The next one bumped into me and didn't apologize. You know, the world is just full of impolite people. It drives me insane."

"You're killing innocent people," Hotch said.

"They're not innocent," Sullivan snapped. "They have no manners."

"Is that you talking or your parents?" Hotch asked.

Sullivan just glared at the agent. Hotch knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with the unsub so he left the room to call Morgan and Reid to see if they had made progress.

* * *

JJ was sitting in the hospital with Emily talking about their first date. She was trying to keep Emily's mind off of things and it was working.

"Remember our first kiss?" JJ smiled.

"Yeah, you were so nervous, Emily said.

JJ laughed. "No, you were nervous. You began to ramble and your eyes were glued to the floor."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Okay, so I was a little nervous. Who wouldn't be? I was asking out a beautiful, intelligent woman who I thought could do better than me."

JJ leaned forward and kissed Emily on the cheek. "You're sweet, but you're perfect for me. I never want anyone else."

"You're just saying that because I'm dying," Emily joked.

JJ's face turned serious and the brunette knew she said the wrong thing. "Stop joking like that. It's not funny."

Emily sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just my way of dealing, I guess."

"I know." JJ tried not to get emotional. "It's just too real to be funny."

"Hey, come here," Emily said.

JJ stood up and bent down so that she could give Emily a deep kiss. The sound of someone clearing their throat made her pull away. When she turned her head, she was surprised to see Hotch.

"Hotch…hi," JJ said.

"Were you two just kissing?" Hotch knew the answer, but just in case his eyes were deceiving him he thought he would ask.

"Maybe." JJ was worried that the man would get upset. There was absolutely no fraternization allowed and she didn't want to be moved to another unit.

"How long have you two been together?" Hotch asked.

"Seven months," Emily replied. "We're totally professional at work though."

"Yeah," JJ jumped in. "We never mix our professional and personal lives."

"Seven months?" Hotch was surprised.

Garcia entered the room, stopping right next to Hotch. "Hi, my lovelies."

Hotch looked down at the blonde analyst. "Did you know they were dating?"

Garcia looked at JJ for approval and the liaison nodded her head. "Yes."

Hotch looked back at Emily and JJ. "She knew and it didn't get out to everyone else?"

"Hey, I can keep a secret, sir!" Garcia huffed.

Hotch smirked. "We'll talk about this later. Emily how are you doing?"

"Fine," Emily replied.

JJ rolled her eyes. "Always fine. If you were hit by a bus, you'd still be saying you were fine."

"I am," Emily mumbled. "I want to go home."

Garcia looked at Emily who was looking a little pale and tired. "You should stay here, Em."

"I agree," JJ said. "It's the only way to ensure that you won't run around doing too much."

"I wouldn't run around doing too much," Emily said. "I'd go home to my own comfortable bed."

"Liar," Garcia said.

"I am not-." Emily erupted into a fit of coughing and JJ retrieved water for her. Emily sipped the water and thanked her girlfriend. "I'm getting tired. I think I'm going to take a nap."

"Okay." JJ brushed a strand of hair from Emily's face. "I'll be here when you wake up."

JJ stepped outside the room with Hotch and Garcia. "Have Reid and Morgan found anything."

Hotch shook his head. "JJ, I'm starting to think that there isn't a cure."

JJ felt like her heart had sunk to the pit of her stomach. "There has to be. Who makes something this lethal without having a cure for it? He's probably tested it several times."

Hotch's eyebrows raised at JJ's words. "You're right. I have to go." Hotch left without another word.

JJ looked at Garcia with tears in her eyes. "Garcia. There's got to be a cure, right?"

Garcia pulled the blonde in for a hug. "Let it out, honey. Let it out."

* * *

Hotch entered the interrogation room where Sullivan was sitting and without saying a word to him, he grabbed one of his arms and pushed the sleeves up, finding several puncture wounds on the man's left arm. "There is a cure."

Sullivan pulled his arm out of Hotch's grasp. "You still have to find it and that won't happen."

Hotch ignored the man as he left the room.

"Do you hear me?" Sullivan yelled. "You won't find it!"

* * *

Reid and Morgan had been through every surface of the house and still hadn't found anything about a cure. They were now back in the room where Sullivan obviously created the poison.

"We're not getting anywhere." Morgan's voice was full of frustration. Hotch had called and told them that there was a cure, but they hadn't been able to find a thing.

Reid ran a hand through his long hair. "I guess we should call it a day here." Just as he said that his eyes fell upon the medium sized wooden cross hanging on the wall.

"What is it?" Morgan asked.

Spencer walked over to the cross and removed it from the wall. The cross appeared to be hollow and when he looked at the sides of it, he saw that it could be pulled apart. He grasped the two sides and pulled them apart.

Morgan smiled when he saw a vial resting inside. "You found it." He looked up at Reid and saw that the man wasn't as excited as he was. "What's wrong? This is a good thing, right?"

"It looks like there's only enough for one person," Reid said.

"Then we take a sample of it and find out how to make it," Morgan said. "Problem solved."

"Not quite," Reid said.

"Why not?" Morgan asked, baffled.

* * *

Reid walked into the interrogation room with Hotch and Sullivan smiled.

"Are you going to be bothering me all day?" the man asked.

Reid showed the man the vial and his smile disappeared. "So you found it?"

"How many people can this cure?"

"Three milliliters is enough for one person," Sullivan answered, honestly. "Exactly three milliliters. So what are you going to do? Choose who gets to live? Doesn't that make you just as bad as me?"

Reid and Hotch left the room together.

"This is three milliliters. There won't be enough if we take a sample from it," Reid said. "Emily and two others need this, Hotch. What do we do?"

Hotch's phone rang and he answered it. "Agent Hotchner… Okay." Hotch closed his phone and looked at Reid. Sarah Cain died thirty minutes ago."

Reid looked at his boss. "Emily or Devon Williams? Who do we give it to?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

JJ woke up to someone gently shaking her shoulder. When she sat up in the chair by Emily's bed, she saw that Hotch was with her.

"I thought you were gone for the night," JJ said. Not wanting to wake Emily up, Hotch gestured for JJ to join him outside of the room. JJ stood up and followed her boss just outside the doorway. "What's going on?"

Hotch didn't want to beat around the bush or give the media liaison false hope. He held up the small vial. "There's only one of these, Jay-Jay."

JJ closed her eyes at hearing his words and took a deep breath before opening her eyes. She looked back into the room and stared at her sleeping girlfriend. She knew what the brunette would want. If she were in Emily's position, she would want the same thing. She knew the rest of the team wouldn't hesitate with this decision either. Right now though, she wanted nothing more than to take the vial from Hotch. Did that make her a horrible person?

JJ looked back at Hotch. "Give it to the boy," she said before going back into Emily's room and closing the door softly behind her. She sat back down in the chair and took Emily's hand into hers as she cried quietly.

After a few minutes, JJ managed to calm herself down. She rubbed her thumb against Emily's knuckles as she began to speak. "I love you, Emily. You mean so much to me. I can't tell you how happy you've made me these past seven months. You always know how to put a smile on my face and I can count on you to be there for me when I need you. I seriously can't imagine my life without you in it and I don't want to have to. Please hang in there. I don't want to lose you." JJ couldn't sit here and do nothing anymore. She got up and kissed Emily on the forehead before leaving the room.

As JJ made her way out of the hospital, she pulled her phone out and called Reid.

"Hey, Jay-Jay," he answered.

"Hey, Spence. Are you busy? I want to go to Sullivan's place and look around. I could use the company."

"I'm already there," Reid said.

JJ furrowed her brows. "I thought you went home for the night."

"I can't sleep," Reid admitted. "Emily has a time limit on her life and we don't want to waste time."

"We?" JJ asked.

"Yeah. Garcia, Morgan and Rossi are here too. Hotch should be joining us once he leaves the hospital."

"He never said anything to me about it," JJ said.

"He figured you'd want to stay with Emily," Reid said. "Hold on."

JJ waited and heard a new voice on the phone.

"Don't worry, Jay-Jay," Garcia said. "We're not leaving here until we've searched every inch of this place. Morgan has already taken a hammer to a few floorboards thinking they were secret hiding places."

JJ smiled at that image. "I'll be there in a half hour or so. Thank everyone for me."

"You're welcome," Garcia said. "But don't forget, she means a lot to us too. We're each other's family. See you soon."

JJ said bye before flipping her phone shut. Just as she was getting ready to get into her car, she heard Hotch's voice.

"Actually going home to get some sleep?" Hotch asked.

JJ shook her head. "I'm joining the team at Sullivan's. I'll be back here in the morning. Hopefully before Emily wakes up."

"Do you want a ride?" Hotch asked.

JJ shook her head. "I'm going to stop and get the team some coffee and food. And I could use a quiet drive alone."

Hotch nodded his understanding. "I'm sorry about the antidote."

"Don't be," JJ said. "It's not your fault."

"Drive safely. See you in a few," he said before heading to his car.

* * *

Two hours later…

JJ let out a heavy sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. They had torn the place apart and still found nothing. She looked around at the others who were in the living room and could tell that they were just as exhausted as her. None of them wanted to leave this house empty handed though and she loved them for it.

Garcia sighed. "Why doesn't this man own a computer? That would make things easier. Do a little hacking and have all the information we want."

Morgan wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Why can't this man have a working air conditioner?"

"This might help." Reid walked over to where the ceiling fan switch was and flipped it on.

As the fan began to turn, a small item fell from it hitting Hotch on the head before falling to the carpet.

Reid's eyes widened. "Sorry, Hotch."

Hotch looked down at what had fallen from the fan and picked it up.

"What is it?" Morgan asked.

Hotch held it up for everyone to see. "Looks like a key to a safe deposit box."

Rossi looked up at the fan. "Hidden on the blade of a ceiling fan. That's different."

"Garcia," Hotch began.

"Already ahead of you," Garcia cut him off. "Does my chocolate muffin care to drive me back to the BAU at top speed? The quicker we find out where that safe deposit box is the faster we save Emily." She looked around at the team. "Right?"

Morgan nodded. "I think this may be it."

JJ had been standing quietly by the doorway. She was feeling relieved. This had to be it. Sullivan must've hidden the antidote in his safe deposit box. "Let's go end this."

* * *

After Garcia had tracked down the location of the safe deposit box, Hotch had got in contact with the manager so that she would be there to open the bank for them.

It was now the moment of truth as Hotch opened the safe and pulled out the small box. JJ's heart was racing as she watched him place the box on the table and open it.

Hotch looked down at the single folded piece of paper in the box. He picked up the paper and unfolded and furrowed his brows at the content of the paper.

"What is it?" JJ asked, her heart still racing with anticipation. "Does it say what's needed to make the cure?"

Hotch handed the paper to Reid. The agent scanned over it and shook his head. "It's written in some kind of code."

"Can you decipher it?" JJ asked.

"I don't know," Reid answered. "I'll head back to the BAU and work on it."

JJ knew Reid was exhausted. They all were. "You should get some sleep. You won't be able to work as well if you're tired."

"I'll manage," Reid assured her. "You all should rest though. I'll be fine on my own. I'll need some time alone with this anyway," he gestured to the paper in his hand.

* * *

After leaving the bank, everyone headed to their respective homes except Reid who went the BAU and JJ who had gone back to the hospital.

JJ looked down at the sleeping agent and kissed her on the cheek. "We're one step closer to finding the cure, sweetheart. Just hang in there."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the feedback. It's appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Emily was sure she had woken up, but the darkness that surrounded her told her otherwise. She guessed that maybe it was still dark out and the lights to the room were off. She looked around but couldn't make out anything.

"Hey, you okay?" she heard JJ say.

"What time is it?" Emily asked.

"Ten," JJ replied. "Do you need anything? I can get you breakfast that's not from the hospital." The blonde could see the worry in Emily's face. "Em, what's wrong?"

"I can't see anything," Emily replied rather calmly. She felt JJ place a kiss on her forehead before saying she was going to go get the doctor. The brunette let out a heavy sigh. Not only was she dying, but now she wouldn't be able to look into her girlfriend's beautiful eyes with the time she had left.

After a few minutes, Emily heard her doctor enter the room. "How are you feeling, Emily?"

_Well that's a stupid question. _Emily thought. "I hurt all over and now I'm blind. I've been better."

"I've already spoken to Agent Jareau about what's happening to you now and she wants to talk to you about it. I'll give you something for the pain and let her talk to you."

"I don't want any medicine." Emily hated how the medicine made her feel tired and out of sorts. She had practically slept all day yesterday. She wanted to be awake in order to spend however long she had with JJ and the rest of her team… her family."

"It'll help dull the pain," the doctor said.

"I can deal with it," Emily said.

The doctor said he'd be back to check on her in a few hours and if she changed her mind about the medicine, to page a nurse. Emily was now alone with JJ waiting to hear about what was happening.

"So what's going on with me losing my sight?" Emily asked.

JJ stood by the bed, looking down at her girlfriend. "Dr. Sanders said that Sarah Cain also lost her sight a few hours before she died."

"What about Devon Williams?" Emily asked.

JJ hadn't been able to tell Emily about Devon because she had slept up until this morning. She really didn't want to tell her either. "Emily an antidote was found but there was only enough for one person and we couldn't take a sample from it because he needed the exact amount that was in the vial. It was you or Devon and I knew that you'd want him to have it. I'm so sorry."

Emily reached out to find JJ's hand. "Hey, you guys did the right thing by giving it to him. It is what I would've wanted. Is he okay now?"

"Yeah, he's doing well," JJ said. "But listen, stay strong for me, okay? Reid's working on deciphering what the antidote is. Sullivan wrote it in some kind of code. Reid will figure it out. He's a genius after all."

The sound of heels against the floor could be heard moving quickly in their direction. JJ turned her head as the sound got closer to the room and was surprised at who she saw standing there. "Ambassador Prentiss."

Emily's mother entered the room looking as pissed as ever. "Why did I find out just yesterday that my daughter is in the hospital dying? And whose fault is this?" She looked at JJ. "Where were you when Emily was hurt? Why'd you let this happen?"

JJ was taken aback by Elizabeth Prentiss. Not only was she not expecting to see the woman, she wasn't expecting to be blamed for what was happening.

"Mom," Emily let out weakly. "This is not Jay-Jay's fault. She wasn't even there."

"Well then who was?"

"This is no one's fault except the man who did this to me," Emily said. "Please calm down."

"Calm down?" Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest. "You don't tell me to calm down. Why didn't you call me when this happened?"

"I didn't want you doing what you're doing now," Emily stated. "I told Garcia to call you if I got really bad."

"I'm getting you out of here," Elizabeth said. "This hospital obviously isn't doing anything for you."

JJ looked at Emily even though she knew the brunette wouldn't return her gaze. "I'm going to step outside with your mom for a few, okay?"

Emily nodded her head and JJ looked back at Elizabeth. "Can I talk to you alone, please?"

Ambassador Prentiss reluctantly stepped outside of the room with JJ. "What is it?"

"I know you're scared. God knows I've never been this scared in my life," JJ said. "Going to another hospital isn't going to make a difference. She needs one thing to make her better and a very intelligent and capable man is working hard to ensure she gets it. She needs you to just be there for her. She's hurting, she's lost her sight and she's scared. She'll never admit it, but she is. I need you not to be the Ambassador right now. I need you to be a mother. Comfort your daughter. Don't stress her out."

JJ was expecting the woman to snap at her, but surprisingly, she didn't.

"You really love her don't you?"

JJ nodded. "With all my heart."

"Thank you for staying with her. Penelope Garcia said that you practically live here right now."

"She means everything to me," JJ said. "I'll let you be alone with her. Tell her I went to go get her some decent food."

Elizabeth nodded and JJ headed out of the hospital. Once she was inside her car, she began to cry. She didn't know what she would do if she lost Emily. She hoped Reid was getting somewhere with deciphering the code.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Emily squeezed JJ's hand lightly causing the blonde to look at her. "Jay-Jay can you get the team and my mom in here?"

"Yeah, why?" JJ asked.

"I just want to have a chance to say goodbye," Emily said. "In case I don't make it."

"Emily, please hang in there. Don't give up," JJ begged.

"I'm not giving up," Emily promised. "I just need to do this just in case. Okay?"

JJ nodded her head. "Everyone's sitting out in the waiting room except Reid."

"I'll give him a call when I'm done," Emily said, weakly.

"I told them that we're together," JJ said. "They're happy for us. They wish we would've told them sooner though."

"You told them?" Emily said.

"It was getting kinda hard to hide with you being where you are," JJ said. "I let it slip. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay," Emily smiled. "I'm glad you told them."

JJ kissed Emily before leaving the room to get the others. She looked at them with tears forming in her eyes. "Emily wants to talk to you guys."

The team stood up and made their way into the hospital room.

"We're here." Emily heard JJ say.

"Hey you guys." Emily turned her head in their direction even though she couldn't see them. "I just wanted to thank you all for being here with me. I know hospitals are depressing."

"There's no other place we'd rather be than by your side, Emily," Garcia said.

"Garcia," Emily began. "I need you to look after Jay-Jay for me."

"You know I will." Garcia went over to the profiler and kissed her on the forehead.

"Thanks for being you, Penelope," Emily said. "You always manage to put a smile on my face when I need it the most. Never change."

"Morgan," Emily said.

"Yes, Princess?" Morgan said.

"You're like a brother to me," Emily said. "An annoying brother that likes to irritate me to see how long it'll take before I snap."

Morgan laughed. "And you're like a sister to me. I'm sorry we didn't see Sullivan in time."

"Hey, don't do that," Emily said. "This isn't your fault."

Morgan went over to Emily and kissed her on the forehead just like Garcia had before going to stand back with the others.

"Hotch. You're a hard-ass and I wouldn't have it any other way. I know I can count on you when I'm in trouble. You're the hardest working man I've ever known. I hope I'm not out of line when I say this, but you should spend more time with your family. Life's too short. I had my mother buy you a plane ticket to Hawaii. All expenses paid. You take Haley and Jack there next weekend and enjoy yourself."

"Emily," Hotch began.

"Are you going to argue with a dying woman?" Emily asked. "Please go. Even if I don't die, I want you to go."

Hotch nodded, forgetting she couldn't see him. He caught his mistake and spoke. "I'll go. Thank you, Emily. It's a privilege to work with you and an honor to know you."

"Jay-Jay."

"Yes?" JJ went over to Emily and placed her hand on top of hers.

"I love you," Emily said.

"I love you too," JJ said.

"You're the best thing to ever happen to me," Emily said. "If I do in fact die, then I'm sorry we didn't get more time together. You've made me the happiest I've been in awhile. I hope I've made you just as happy."

"Emily you've made me more than happy." JJ leant down and placed a kiss on Emily's lips.

Emily knew she should've saved JJ for last because she could go on and on about how great the blonde was to her. She forced herself to move on though. "Mom."

"Yes, dear?"

"I know we don't always see eye to eye but thank you for raising me to be strong and independent," Emily said.

Elizabeth approached her daughter and placed a kiss on her cheek. "You were always difficult but you grew up to be a magnificent woman, Emily. I'm proud of you."

"That means a lot," Emily said. "Rossi."

"Emily," Rossi said back.

Emily opened her mouth to speak, but ended up having a coughing fit.

JJ's eyes widened as she looked down at her girlfriend. "Honey are you okay? Do you need water?"

Emily finally stopped coughing and licked her dry lips before she spoke. "I'm not feeling too well." Emily's eyes started to feel heavy and she couldn't keep them open.

"I'm going to get a doctor." Morgan left the room to quickly flag a nurse or doctor down.

"Emily," JJ cried. "I need you. Please, don't leave me."

As two nurses entered the room, Emily's monitor flatlined.

The nurses looked to the team. "I'm sorry," one of them said. "There's nothing we can do."

"No!" JJ shouted. "You have to do something! You can't just stand there."

Morgan wrapped his arms around the woman. "Jay-Jay. I'm sorry."

JJ's legs gave out from under her and Morgan held her tight as he guided her to the floor. He continued to hug the woman as she cried.

Reid ran into the room with a doctor and the man quickly went over to Emily and stuck her with a needle.

The team looked on as the doctor retrieved a defibrillator to try to resuscitate Emily with help from the nurses.

Morgan helped JJ up and they watched on, hoping for the best.

After the third time of trying to resuscitate Emily, her monitor began to beep.

"We've got her back," the doctor said.

JJ pulled away from Morgan and threw her arms around Reid. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Reid smiled and hugged his friend back. "Sorry it took so long."

JJ laughed through her tears. "I'm sure Emily will forgive you."

Hotch patted Reid on the back. "How'd you figure it out?"

"The numbers were passages from the bible," Reid said. "I'll explain it all tomorrow."

JJ looked at Reid. "He look drained. She knew he hadn't gotten any sleep. You should go home and get some rest."

"I'll drive you," Morgan said.

JJ looked at the team. "You should all get some rest. I'll call you tomorrow and let you know how Emily is doing."

After everyone left, JJ sat in the room alone with Emily. She stroked the side of the woman's face with her fingers and smiled. She couldn't believe she had almost lost her. "I love you so much," JJ whispered. "Thank you for coming back to me."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

A few days later…

JJ was packing up her things to leave work for the day when she saw Morgan standing at her doorway.

"Hey," JJ said. "I didn't know you were still here."

"I had to finish up some last minute stuff," Morgan said. "How's Emily doing?"

JJ sighed. "If she's not snapping at me, she's ignoring me. I don't know what to do. And I can't bring myself to get too upset with her because she's dealing with a lot right now, you know? It's hard for her to get around and do things on her own at the moment. She has to get used to it."

"I really hope she gains her sight back," Morgan said.

"Me too," JJ said. "She had a doctor's appointment yesterday and they believe there's a big chance that it's temporary and she'll gain it back so that's good."

Morgan nodded. "Yeah that is good. Is her mom with her?"

"No, she insisted that she could take care of herself," JJ said. "I've been calling her every hour to make sure she's okay. She got annoyed and said she wasn't going to answer the phone anymore."

Morgan laughed. "I'm sure she's all right."

"I know," JJ sighed. "I just worry."

"All right, I'll let you hurry home to your girl," Morgan said. "Have a goodnight."

* * *

JJ entered Emily's house and called for the brunette. "Emily?" When she didn't get an answer, she began to look around the condo. "Emily?" She heard a glass break from in the kitchen and dropped her purse and briefcase on the floor to go see what had happened. She saw the brunette in the kitchen with broken glass by her feet. "Are you okay?"

"I tried to take it out of the cabinet and ended up knocking it over," Emily sighed.

"I'll clean it up," JJ said. "Are you hungry?"

"No," Emily replied as she began to feel her way out of the kitchen.

"Have you eaten anything today?" JJ asked.

"No, but I'm not hungry."

"Emily-,"

"Jay-Jay, I said I wasn't hungry! Back off."

JJ closed her eyes tight like she usually did to stop herself from getting upset, but it wasn't working this time. "Damn it, Emily. I'm just trying to help."

"I don't need help," Emily said with her back to JJ. "I can take care of myself."

JJ moved so that she was standing in front of her girlfriend. "I know you're having a hard time dealing with this and all I'm trying to do is make things easier for you. You've done nothing but yell at me since you've gotten home. Are you trying to push me away? It's working."

Emily ran a hand through her hair as she stood there quietly trying to put her thoughts together. "I understand if you don't want to be with me anymore. I know you didn't sign up for this," she gestured to her eyes.

"Emily Prentiss how dare you think that little of me," JJ seethed. "Do you honestly think I'd leave you because you're blind?"

Emily shrugged. "You shouldn't have to run behind me cleaning up my mess like I'm a child. I'm sorry I've been mean to you. I'm just angry. Not at you. You've been great. I just want to be able to do the simple things I used to do without it being a problem."

"And you will be able to do those simple things," JJ said. "You just need time. And I'm not going anywhere. I love you."

Tears spilled from the brunette's eyes and JJ wiped them away. "I love you too. I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I hate being stuck in this house. I miss my job. I miss seeing you. I hate feeling useless."

JJ pulled Emily into a hug. "You're anything but useless, Emily. And I have hope that you'll be able to return to work and lay eyes on me again. You're a strong person. This is just a temporary set back. You'll be just fine."

"You think so?" Emily asked.

"I really do," JJ said.

"And if I don't?"

"Then we'll get through it and you'll still be just fine," JJ promised.

Emily slowly moved her hand to find JJ's face and she traced the blonde's bottom lip with her thumb. She leaned in slowly and kissed her girlfriend.

* * *

One week later…

Emily woke up to the feeling of fingers stroking the side of her face. "Morning."

JJ placed a kiss on Emily's lips. "Morning."

"How long have you been up?" Emily asked.

"An hour," JJ replied. "I was thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"I know I brought some things over to stay here while you become comfortable with being blind, but I want to leave them here even after that."

Emily smirked. "It takes me almost dying and becoming blind to get you to leave some things here."

JJ pinched the brunette on the side. "Hush, I was being an idiot before. If there's one thing almost losing you has taught me, it's that I wouldn't feel right without you. When you died a part of me died with you. God, Emily I broke when you left me. I didn't know what to do with myself. When there's you, I feel whole and I always want to feel whole."

Emily felt JJ's lips on hers and she returned the blonde's kiss. When the blonde pulled away, she let out a groan of disapproval.

"I have to get ready for work," JJ said. "Do you need anything?"

"No," Emily replied. "I'm going back to sleep. Don't call me every hour."

JJ laughed. "Every two hours then," she said before going into the bathroom to take a shower and prepare herself for the day.

* * *

Garcia and Morgan were listening to Reid go on about some scientific research that neither of them actually cared about when they saw a familiar brunette enter the bullpen.

"Ohmygod," Garcia walked over to the brunette. "Are you okay? How'd you get here?" She noticed that the brunette was looking right into her eyes. "No way! Really?"

Emily nodded. "I went back to sleep after JJ left and when I woke up I could see. I went to the hospital and came straight here."

Garcia threw her arms around the agent. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Morgan and Reid were next to give her a hug.

"Your girl is in her office," Morgan said.

Emily smiled and made her way to the blonde's office. She opened the door and when JJ looked up the look of surprise on her face was priceless. "You're so beautiful, Jay-Jay. I never thought I'd see those eyes again."

JJ stood up and rushed over to the brunette. "How? When?"

"I don't know how," Emily said. "but when I woke up again after you were gone, I could see."

JJ looked into her girlfriend's eyes before kissing the brunette with all she had. When she pulled away she placed another quick kiss on her lips. "We should go to the hospital so they can look you over."

"I've been there," Emily said. "I've been cleared to work."

JJ laughed. "Of course you'd want to get back to work when you just get your sight back."

"I've spent the last week and a half doing nothing," Emily said. "All I want to do is work."

JJ raised an eyebrow. "Is that all you want to do?" She said, seductively.

Emily smirked. "Or I could leave here and you can try to get off early. I think I may need to memorize every inch of your body again."

"That sounds a lot better," JJ said. "Has Hotch or Rossi seen you?"

"Not yet," Emily said.

"Get out of here then and tell the others to not say a word about you being here."

Emily kissed JJ. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now go. I don't want anything stopping us from celebrating you having your sight back."

Emily placed another kiss on JJ's lips and left the office. She missed seeing her girlfriend's blue eyes and gorgeous smile. And she would show her how much she missed seeing them when they got home. She was lucky to have JJ in her life. The blonde also made her feel whole and she knew that would be true for years to come.

* * *

**THE END**


End file.
